New familial bonds [Closed Social]

[Taiyōkei Kuchiki]

The academy was an experience for Taiyōkei. He was top of his classes and even had the attention of the Kuchiki elders. Of course, his drive for wanting to become a shinigami was more than just due to who his family was. It was rooted in that one night he could remember in the gardens. That night, during his teen years, the shinigami who was dying yet instead of getting help, told him about his joy in death. The man really enjoyed his job as being the protector of the soul society and the Sereitei as a whole. The way he spoke inspired Taiyōkei more than he probably would have had had he just followed the footsteps of his family members into becoming a shinigami out of duty alone. He smiled as he thought about being in the squad of that man who died with a smile on his face, telling Taiyōkei of his tale. He did it at last; he was going to carry on the legacy and continue the mission to protect and serve.

Now that he had become a shinigami in Squad 6, he was in the gardens again. His mind on his time in the academy led him to think about one of his goals. He wanted to be the next head of the family. Of course, there was much to do before that could become a possibility. The first thing was he needed to become a competent leader in his personality and with confidence. He already had a bit of experience in leadership which he gained while in the academy. His willingness to volunteer to lead group exercises gave him those skills but he still has a very long way to go indeed.

He also needed to form stronger bonds with his family, not just the elders. Should he simply stop a random family member and try to have a conversation with them? Wouldn’t that be awkward? Maybe he should simply just let things happen naturally and opt to work alongside another member of family in the 13 Court Guard squads since that would be better. There were so many different ways that he could do this.

While deep in thought, Taiyōkei ended up walking into someone; Addy. Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed her hand to prevent her from falling. “Oh my, sorry. I was lost in thought. Are you okay?”

[Addy Kuchiki]

Staring at the Kuchiki symbol on a nearby wall, Addy let out a soft sigh. What did her last name mean to her? She was asked such a question by her mother earlier. Did she value her own goals over the goals of her family? Of course. How could she not? She was her own woman, with her own mind. She had her own dreams and goals. Yet she was expected to let them wither just because of where she was born? That didn’t seem fair to her. And only her it seemed, as the rest of her family clearly had differing opinions. You must strive to never bring shame upon the Kuchiki lineage, no matter what you do. Yada yada yada. Yet all she was trying to do was live.

Continuing her walk with a shake of her head, Addy tried to forget the harsh words of her mother. Even though it had been a few months, her mother was still annoyed she had chosen Squad 11 to be in. But to Addy, it was the best decision she had ever made. She enjoyed talking with her squadmates and sparring with whoever was available at the time. Kimiko was a spectacular captain, and she wouldn’t trade her for the world. Squad 11 was everything she had dreamed of and more, but she still couldn’t get that point across to her mother. It seemed that no matter what she did, her mother would never truly be happy with her decisions. It was unfortunate, but there wasn’t much Addy could do about it.

Is this where she wanted to be? What she wanted for herself? To be like the other Kuchikis? The majority of them were honorable of course, but only to people of their standards. You’d be hard pressed to find a noble who respected those beneath them. Addy was a rarity in that aspect, something her family continually reminded her of. It was the complete opposite in Squad 11. There everyone enjoyed each other's company, regardless of who they were and where they came from. All that mattered was strength. It was simple, but effective. She felt more at home there, than she felt here.

Yet she still came back here. To listen to her mother complain. To see how her father was doing. Addy didn’t have the heart to ignore her familial duties. As much as she disliked other nobles and her family’s differing opinions, she loved them all the same. Their bloodline ran deep, and she could feel it in the very essence of her soul. The nobles here were her family, regardless of how they acted. And she would be by their side through thick and thin. Perhaps she was hindering herself by doing this and making her problem worse, but if that was the case, then so be it. The world wasn’t perfect, so she’d had to make do with what she had.

A jarring impact pulled Addy out of her thoughts and towards the present. She hadn’t been paying attention, and now she was paying the consequences for it. Throwing her hand out and grabbing the nearest appendage, the young woman pulled herself up with Taiyōkei’s help. Tossing her thoughts to the back of her mind for the time being, Addy examined the man she bumped into. He looked vaguely familiar, which suggested that she had seen him around here before. She didn’t know where exactly, since her mother made her attend quite a bit of family gatherings. “No worries, I too was lost in thought. Barely a scratch on me.”

The man in front of her was of similar height to her, so Addy was able to look him in the eye while they talked with ease. A rarity around here, since most of her family tended to be on the taller side. His pitch black hair and piercing blue eyes made for quite the striking picture, but that was the norm for Kuchiki like them. They tended to stand out with their presence, whether they wanted to or not. “Name’s Addy, pleasure to meet you. Are you just enjoying the sights around here like I am? We got a pretty cool place here.” Not many people were around the gardens at this time, which was why she was caught off guard when she bumped into Taiyōkei. Still, the scenery was beautiful and a pleasure to take in, so she wasn’t surprised that someone would come out to see it. Her family certainly didn’t slack with building places such as these.

[Taiyōkei Kuchiki]

Taiyōkei stood there looking at Addy who he just bumped into. He apologized for not paying attention enough as he didn’t mean to bump into her. Of course he didn’t but his mind was far from where it needed to be. He was so high up on the past and where he needed to go in the future that he forgot to watch where he was going. Had he run into one of the elders he would have probably been scolded for being so absentminded. Not his greatest moments at all. Luckily for him, Addy didn’t seem to mind. She even told him not to worry as she also was in her thoughts and not paying attention.

Now that he got a good look at her, he wasn’t all too familiar with her. He saw her before but he wasn’t sure when or at which instance whether a family meeting or a simple gathering. She also wasn’t too short or tall so he didn’t have to look all over the place. That was going to be good on his neck because there were people who were extremely tall or short. Even people their age range. The academy was filled with many different types of people and sizes. Speaking of the academy, he was glad to not be wearing those clothes any more. Not that Addy would treat him any less but there were some people who felt like they were superior to academy students and Taiyōkei wasn’t in the mood for that kind of interaction.

Now that they both have recovered from their little bump accident, She introduced herself as Addy and spoke of the pleasure meeting him. “Taiyōkei but you can call me Tai or Taiyo for short.” He offered her a small smile. She wasn’t like the usual Kuchiki and that was very refreshing. So many people in their family had a sort of way they presented themselves. While elegance and grace was expected of a noble, one shouldn’t be so hung up on that that they become rigid and stuck up.

She asked him if he was enjoying the sights and pointed out how cool the area was there. He knew the beauty of the gardens and the calm it brought. He smiled before speaking. “Actually, I came out here to reminisce a bit. It was actually here where I vowed to become a soul reaper. I recently graduated from the academy so I thought it was only right that I spend some time here.” He walked over to a bench and sat down. “I do agree that we have pretty cool places around here. It never ceases to amaze me.”

As he looked out at the flower bed before him, he listened to the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees. There was a sense of tranquility around that took away the nerves he secretly felt. All of the anxieties and worries faded away and he saw what he wanted to protect lying before him. The beauty of the place was mesmerizing.

[Addy Kuchiki]

Taiyōkei or Taiyo was the name of the shinigami that Addy had inadvertently bumped into. He was a fresh graduate from the academy, something she had been just a few months earlier. He had even vowed to become a soul reaper in this very spot, which was pretty neat. It made the tranquil gardens more special than they already were. To him at least. For Addy, it was still just a calm and peaceful place she could relax while visiting family. A rarity here, as her relatives frequented most of the other places around here.

As the two talked, Addy watched as Taiyo sat down on a nearby bench. Was he resting his feet, or just enjoying the moment? It could be both, and she wouldn’t blame him either way. Like he had said before, this place meant a lot to him, and he had been lost in thought. Perhaps he needed someone to talk to? Or he just wanted to be alone. Two very different situations, and unfortunately for Addy, she wasn’t sure which one it was. It couldn’t hurt to ask though, so she might as well try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Enjoying the small breeze that was sweeping through the area, Addy moved closer to the bench before speaking. “We don’t know each other that well, but I’m here if you need anyone to talk to. Perhaps something with an unbiased opinion might alleviate your troubles somewhat?” The blonde Kuchiki wasn’t too sure what was troubling her compatriot. It could be anything, judging from what he had already told her. It could be concerns for the future, being a new graduate from the academy, or even a mundane matter about his life. Either way, she was here to assist. After all, that was what family was for. Even if some of her relatives disagreed with her on this matter.

[Taiyōkei Kuchiki]

As Taiyōkei sat on the bench, looking out at the beauty of the gardens, he let the peace of the area in. His insecurities and anxieties were loud before but now they seemed to have quieted down. Maybe it was the hustle and bustle of becoming a shinigami while being a noble that made him forget what relaxation felt like. Heck, he didn’t even know how to relax and that caused him to be tense most days. Either way, the peace was evident. So evident that it sounded like Addy picked up on it.

She spoke on the fact that they didn’t know each other well but regardless of that, she was there for him to talk to should he need it. Her offer came with an unbiased opinion and that was a great thing. “Sure. I guess I can talk to you.” He looked over to her with a friendly smile. One of the most important things about being nobility was having a strong relationship with your family. For him, he was only starting out but it didn’t have to remain that way.

“I guess I have plenty of goals I want to achieve. I want to make sure I’m pretty useful to those who need me. Back in the academy, that was easy but now, this is the real deal.” He sighed for a moment. “There will be so many people counting on me. Also, I want to do my best to make the family proud. I want to one day become the head of the family. I guess I don’t know much about where to start on that journey other than I need to become more acquainted with members of the family. That’s what is truly bothering me among all of the other things.” He looked over at Addy with a soft smile. “Thanks for hearing me out.”

[Addy Kuchiki]

Nodding her head at her relative’s words, Addy let out a small sigh. The problem was what she had assumed. A personal problem that resided close to Taiyo’s heart, one that she couldn’t help too much with. Still, maybe she could shed a little light on the matter. She wasn’t an expert at situations like these, but she had learned a bit from her past experiences. Perhaps those memories could help here?

“Plenty of goals is nice, just make sure not to get overwhelmed. Different people have different strategies, but I personally prefer to take one goal and then break it down into tiny pieces. By accomplishing a little bit at a time, in the future you’ll eventually have everything you wanted.” Tackling a whole problem head on could work, it would be just way more challenging and mentally straining. It all depended on how Taiyo preferred to deal with his problems. There were multiple solutions, he just needed to find the one that suited him.

“My opinion would be to start by being the best Kuchiki you can be. A role model if you will. You need to make sure you can be proud of yourself before caring about other people’s opinions. And after all that, sprinkle a little strength on it. Can’t really get anywhere if you’re weak.” That was what Addy was currently doing herself. While she wanted her family to respect her, as long as she felt that she was worthy of respect, their opinions didn’t really matter. Their approval would be nice, but it wasn’t required. To live for others, you must live for yourself first.

[Taiyōkei Kuchiki]

He was given the chance to express his worries to his relative, Addy. She offered him an unbiased ear and so he took advantage of that. He started off by mentioning his goals and his worries that came with transitioning from the academy into the real deal. He explained that there were many people that were going to be counting on him and that he wanted to make them proud. He added to it, mentioning that he wanted to do his family proud too. His overall goal was to become the head of the family and he didn’t really know how to get started on that.

She nodded and let out a sigh. Maybe it was because she didn’t have a direct answer to the route he should take but either way, he wasn’t expecting her to have it or even give him a straight path to follow. The fact that she sat there and spoke with him was enough for him so any response she gave would be accepted.

She started off by pointing out that he had plenty of goals but he had to make sure not to get overwhelmed. She was very right about that. Getting worked up and then burning out due to overwork while overwhelming yourself with all that you want to accomplish would get you nowhere. She was the type to tackle one goal at a time and even that one had to be broken into tiny pieces. A little at a time could equate to getting everything in the long run. For him, he was able to tackle more than one task at a time but he still had a limit.

She recommended that he started his Kuchiki path with self improvement which was the best route. If he was going to get others to follow him then he needed to become someone they should follow. He should become someone others could look up to and would want to be around. He also needed to get stronger. She made a valid point that you couldn’t really get anywhere while being weak. “Thank you, Addy. I will definitely use the advice you provided me with. Now then, onto you, anything troubling you that you wish to speak about? I’d be happy to give my advice if I could.”

[Addy Kuchiki]

“Meh, just the usual Kuchiki stuff you know?” Her troubles were more run of the mill type things. Family troubles so to speak. As for advice there, she was pretty solid on that point. Her solution for the time being was just to be patient. She had gotten her stubbornness from her mother, so she knew first hand just how hard headed she could be. Still, with time she was sure she could break down the wall that was building between them.

Enjoying the breeze just a little longer, Addy waved goodbye to Taiyo with a grin. “It was a pleasure meeting you. Perhaps we’ll see each other around?” With Taiyo fresh out of the academy, the two might even see each other on missions. Either that or they would meet in the Kuchiki grounds again. Addy would leave it up to fate to decide where she saw the black haired man again.

[Taiyōkei Kuchiki]

After getting advice from his cousin, he asked her if there was anything bothering her. After all, she took time out of her schedule to sit and speak with him about his troubles so of course he was willing to do the same for her. Sure, he just formally met her but that had nothing to do with it.

She spoke, telling him the usual Kuchiki stuff was bothering her. He wasn’t sure to what extent their family’s trials bothered her but he understood it. There was a weight that came with being a member of a family such as this one and something like that wasn’t an easy fix. Whether the problem was internal among the family’s members or external with people treating you differently due to your lineage, it was still something that could be a problem. Whichever it was, Tai hoped that she could get through it. “I understand. I hope you get that worked out and if you need someone to chat with or spar with to blow off steam, then you know where to find me.”

As Addy waved goodbye, she told him it was a pleasure meeting him and brought up the possibility of them seeing each other around. “Likewise and perhaps we will soon enough.” He smiled and waved at her. After bidding farewell to her, he looked back out to the sights and took a breath. He felt much better having spoken to her. The things he worried about before were now not so much of a stressful thought. It was all thanks to his cousin, Addy.

[Catty Noir ♦]

Taiyōkei: +18% bonus rewards for any future thread with Addy

Addy: +14% bonus rewards for any future thread with Taiyōkei